System and method to build mixed pallet layers from full pallet layers

Abstract

A method and system to build mixed pallet layers from full pallet layers comprises a palletizing/de-palletizing system, a feeding system for feeding the full pallet layers to the palletizing/de-palletizing system; and a mixed pallet output system for receiving the mixed pallet layers from the palletizing/de-palletizing system. The palletizing/de-palletizing system includes a ball table to receive and support the full pallet layers of products and to support the mixed pallet layers; a plurality of product accumulating rows located adjacent the ball table for receiving and accumulating identical products from the full pallet layers and a robot, provided with a tool, to pick products from one of the full pallet layers on the table, to store the products in a selected one of the accumulating rows, and to form a mixed pallet layer on the table by picking selected products in the accumulating rows and by positioning the selected products according to a mixed layer pattern.

1 . A system to build mixed pallet layers from full pallet layers comprising: 
 a palletizing/de-palletizing system, including product accumulators, for receiving full pallet layers, each including identical products from a predetermined group of products, for storing the identical products in a selected one of the product accumulators and for producing mixed pallet layers from selected products retrieved from the product accumulators;    a feeding system for feeding the full pallet layers to the palletizing/de-palletizing system; and    a mixed pallet output system for receiving the mixed pallet layers from the palletizing/de-palletizing system.    
   
   
       2 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the palletizing/de-palletizing system further includes a product manipulator for said storing the identical products in a selected one of the product accumulators and said producing mixed pallet layers from selected products retrieved from the product accumulators.  
   
   
       3 . A system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the product manipulator includes a robot provided with a tool.  
   
   
       4 . A system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the tool includes a gripper for selectively causing at least one of the identical products to adhere thereto.  
   
   
       5 . A system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the gripper is configured and sized so as to simultaneously pick a plurality of the identical products.  
   
   
       6 . A system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the palletizing/de-palletizing system further includes a ball table surrounding the robot for facilitating said storing the identical products in a selected one of the product accumulators and said producing mixed pallet layers from selected products retrieved from the product accumulators.  
   
   
       7 . A system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the product manipulator includes a gantry provided with a tool.  
   
   
       8 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the feeding system includes an input conveyor.  
   
   
       9 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the input conveyor being further to accumulate the full pallet layers.  
   
   
       10 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the feeding system further includes a forklift to feed the input conveyor with the full pallet layers.  
   
   
       11 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the mixed pallet output system includes an output conveyor.  
   
   
       12 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the product accumulators includes accumulation conveyors.  
   
   
       13 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the feeding system includes a first conveyor and the mixed pallet output system includes a second conveyor; one of the first and second conveyors is positioned on top of the other one of the first and second conveyors; the system further comprising a lift for reciprocal movement between the palletizing/de-palletizing system and the other one of the first and second conveyors.  
   
   
       14 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the palletizing/de-palletizing system is a first palletizing/de-palletizing system; the feeding system and the mixed pallet output system are both parts of a second conventional palletizing/de-palletizing system; wherein a de-palletizing part of the second conventional palletizing/de-palletizing system being for feeding the full pallet layers to the first palletizing/de-palletizing system and a palletizing part of the second conventional palletizing/de-palletizing system being for receiving the mixed pallet layers.  
   
   
       15 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the identical products are contained in a box.  
   
   
       16 . A system to build mixed pallet layers from full pallet layers comprising: 
 a table to receive and support the full pallet layers and to support the mixed pallet layers; each of the full pallet layers including identical input products selected from a predetermined group of products;    a plurality of product accumulating rows located adjacent the table for receiving and accumulating the input products;    a product manipulator to pick the identical input products from each one of the full pallet layers on the table, to store the identical input products in a selected one of the accumulating rows, and to form a mixed pallet layer on the table by picking selected products in the accumulating rows and by positioning the selected products according to a mixed layer pattern.    
   
   
       17 . A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the product manipulator is a robot provided with a tool.  
   
   
       18 . A system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the tool includes a gripper for selectively picking at least one of the identical input products.  
   
   
       19 . A system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the gripper is configured and sized so as to cause a plurality of the identical input products to adhere thereto.  
   
   
       20 . A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of product accumulating rows include accumulation conveyors.  
   
   
       21 . A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the table is a ball table.  
   
   
       22 . A system as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising an input conveyor adjacent the table for feeding the full pallet layers to the table.  
   
   
       23 . A system as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the input conveyor and the table are generally levelled.  
   
   
       24 . A system as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising an output conveyor adjacent the table for receiving mixed pallet layers.  
   
   
       25 . A system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the output conveyor and the table are generally levelled.  
   
   
       26 . A method to build mixed pallet layers comprising: 
 receiving full pallet layers, each including identical products selected from a predetermined group of products;    uniquely associating to each group of products an accumulator from a series of accumulators;    de-palletizing each of the full pallet layers and accumulating each of the identical products included therein in a first selected accumulator from the series of accumulators which is associated to the identical product;    for each of the mixed pallet layers to build: 
 i) providing a list of selected products from the predetermined group of products to include in said each of the mixed layers to build;  
 ii) determining a mixed-layer pattern using the list of selected products to include; and  
 iii) building the mixed pallet layer by retrieving each of the selected products in a second selected group of accumulators from the series of accumulators corresponding to the series of accumulators which are associated to the selected products, and by positioning said selected products according to the mixed-layer pattern; the second selected group of accumulators including accumulators.  
   
   
   
       27 . A method as recited in  claim 26 , wherein each of the full pallet layers is characterized by a pattern; said de-palletizing each of the full pallet layers is achieved following a predetermined sequence based on the pattern characterizing said each of the full pallet layers.